'BJP MP told me...': Rahul Gandhi narrates ‘slavery’ story at Congress rally in Nagpur

Rahul Gandhi claimed he met a turncoat leader in the Parliament who used to be a Congress politician.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed a BJP MP had told him that the latter's party promotes a culture of “slavery”. Addressing the 'Hain Tayyar Hum' rally in Nagpur, Gandhi, referring to the BJP-Congress political tussle, said a battle of ideologies was underway in the country.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi greet the crowd during the party's ‘Hain Taiyaar Hum’ rally. (ANI)

"There is a fight of ideologies going on in the country. People think that it is a political fight, a fight for power, but the foundation of this fight is of ideology, of two opposing ideologies," he said.

Rahul Gandhi claimed he met a turncoat leader in the Parliament who used to be a Congress politician.

"I met a BJP MP in the Lok Sabha, many BJP MPs were earlier in Congress, and this one was also in Congress. I met him secretly, he spoke out of fear and said, Rahul ji, I want to talk to you. I asked him what do you want to talk about, you are in BJP. Tension was visible on his face, I asked him if everything was okay. To which he answered no," said Rahul Gandhi.

He claimed the politician told him he couldn't bear being a BJP leader. Gandhi said the leader told him that the party's culture promotes slavery.

"He said, 'Rahul ji, I can't bear being in BJP. I am in BJP but my heart is in Congress'. I said, your heart is in Congress, your body is in BJP, meaning the heart is afraid of bringing the body to Congress. I asked him why his mind was not set on the party. To which the BJP leader replied that 'BJP mai ghulami chalti hai' (slavery works in the BJP)," said the Congress leader.

Gandhi claimed the leader told him that BJP leaders are forced to follow orders of the top brass.

"The BJP leader further said that whatever directions are received from the authorities above have to be done without thinking twice. No one listens to us, orders come from above. It is just like how kings used to give orders earlier and everyone had to follow it. There is no choice whether you like it or not," he added

"Our PCC President Nana Patole asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi about farmers, asking what will be the share of farmers in GST. Modiji did not like this question, and Patoleji was out," he claimed.

Gandhi claimed the BJP's ideology resembled that of the kings of the feudal era.

"Their (BJP) ideology is the ideology of kings, don't listen to anyone, orders just come from above. In Congress the voice comes from below, our small workers can point out the big leaders. I listen to our workers, and also respect their voice (concerns)," he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP launched a counterattack at Gandhi. Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said nobody takes Gandhi seriously.

"I think their (Congress) theme was 'Hain Taiyyar Hum' but I think people are not ready to take Rahul Gandhi seriously," he said.

BJP leader Ashishrao R. Deshmukh said: "Rahul Gandhi should not talk about Gulamgiri... Congress is full of the mindset of slavery... This is the reality of the Congress party."

With inputs from ANI